Ink-well.



PATBNTED MAY 21 L. D. ST. GLAIR.

INK WELL.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.18. 1907.

W1 TNESSES [NVENTOR y (/6257 Aflorneys THE NORRIS PETERS co, wasmuamu,nv r:v

vented certain new and useful UITED STATES PAINT FFIQE.

INK-WELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed February 18, 1907. Serial No. 357,912.

To all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, LoYD D. ST. CLAIR, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Vanvoorhis, in the county of Monongalia and Stateof West Virginia, have in- Improvements in InkWells, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to ink wells, and the invention has for itsobject the provision of novel means in connection with an ink well toprevent the contents thereof from being spilled when the ink well isaccidentally upset or tilted.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel means in connectionwith an ink well for preventing the contents thereof from evaporatingwhen the well is not being used.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, durable andinexpensive ink well, the interior of which can be easily observed todetermine the quantity of writing fluid contained therein.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinaftermore fully described and then specifically pointed out in the appendedclaim.

Referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, likenumerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of myinproved ink well partly in elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the ink wellillustrating a modified form of construction.

To put my invention into practice, I construct my improved ink well of avitreous material such as glass, the ink well consisting of a base 1having a dome-like receptacle 2 communicating by an opening 3 with areceptacle or dip well 4, said receptacle or dip well having acontracted interiorly threaded neck 5 to receive a lid or cover 6. Thelid or cover is provided with a funnel-shaped opening 7 and with aresilient gasket 8, said gasket forming the lower part of said opening.Normally held in engagement with the gasket 8 by a coiled spring 9 is aspherical body or ball valve 10, said spherical body or ball valvenormally engaging said gasket and preventing the writing fluid orcontents 11 of said ink well from escaping or evaporating.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slight modification ofmy invention, wherein the threads of the lid or cover 6 are dispensedwith and the contracted neck por tion 5 of the receptacle or dip well 4provided with a collar 12 carrying a hinged lid 14 similar to the lid 6,said lid 14 being normally held in engagement with the collar 12 by aspring clasp 15.

o fill my improved ink well with a writing fluid the lid or cover 6 isremoved and the writing fluid poured into the receptacle or dip well 4,from where it passes through the opening 3 into the dome-like receptacle2. After the dip well has been filled, the lid or cover 6 is replacednormally holding the coiled spring 9 under tension, whereby thespherical body or ball valve will be held in engagement with the gasket8. When a pen or similar writing instrument is introduced intothe dipwell the spherical body or ball 10 is depressed until the pen point hasbecome immersed in the contents of the dip well. After the writing fluidor contents of the dip well has been lowered beneath the opening 3 thewriting fluid or contents of the dome-like receptacle 2 can betransferred to the dip well by slightly tilting the ink well. In thismanner a certain quantity or depth of writing fluid can be retained inthe receptacle 4 inde pendent of the contents of the dome-likereceptacle 2.

Ido not care to confine myself to the material from which the ink wellis constructed, nor to the minor details of construction entering intothe same. Such other changes in the size, and proportion of the ink wellas are permissible by the appended claim, may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In an ink well, a base, a receptacle mounted on said base adjacent oneend thereof, a dip well mounted on the base adjacent the other endthereof, a partition separating said valve carried in the upper end ofsaid spring receptacle and dip well having an opening in ,1 normallyseating against said gasket. 10 its upper edge establishingcommunication In testimony whereof I afiix my signature between thereceptacle and the dip well, a in the presence of two witnesses: coveror lid for said dip well, having a central I LOYD D. ST. CLAIR. opening,a gasket seated in the underneath Witnesses:

face of said cover or lid, a coiled spring rest- C. L. EVERLY,

ing on the base beneath said lid, and a' ball JOHN F. Ross.

